The Plains and Prairie Potholes Prairie Potholes
These freshwater marshes are found in the upper Midwestern prairies, especially the Dakotas and Minnesota. Depressions that were created by retreating glaciers about 10,000 years ago;, they fill with water during spring, providing important habitat for waterfowl and many other species. Indeed, the Prairie Pothole Region is often called America’s “duck factory” since around half of the continent’s ducks spend at least part of the year there. The prairie potholes are an important water source, and they help recharge underground aquifers.
Learn more about Prairie Potholes Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) announced today a funding opportunity for research proposals that address high priority knowledge gaps associated with natural resource conservation and management in the northern Great Plains and prairie pothole region of the U.S. and Canada.
The LCC has identified two distinct areas of research this year that will inform effective conservation and management by resource practitioners and decision-makers. Research projects under consideration for 2014 funding must address one or both of the following science needs:
- Information related to land use, land use policy and factors influencing land use and land conversion, including potential impacts to aquatic systems.
- Information related to land owner decision-making that will help the LCC partnership improve and/or incentivize conservation.
The LCC is responsible for identifying, prioritizing and supporting research projects that address gaps in scientific knowledge and can inform effective conservation and management across the northern Great Plains and prairie pothole region. Broad-scale stressors impacting this landscape include climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Learn more about climate change , shifts in land-use, urban expansion and agricultural changes.
Up to $250,000 may be available to fund one-year or multi-year projects. The LCC encourages broad participation from groups and individuals concerned with natural and cultural resource issues in the northern Great Plains and prairie pothole region. Individuals from federal, state, tribal, local, commercial, non-profit and educational organizations are eligible for funding as investigators or cooperators. Cost share or in-kind match is encouraged but not required.
Additional details on the format and timetable for submitting proposals can be found in the full funding announcement (Funding Opportunity No. F14AS00062). Research proposals are due February 28, 2014
The LCC will hold two informational conference calls on February 17, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. central standard time to discuss the application process and answer questions from potential applicants. Call details are listed below.
Toll-free: 1-877-282-9259 Passcode: 1978254
Toll-number: 1-517-345-0375 Passcode: 1978254
